Saint Croix Island International Historic Site

A French Colony in Acadie

"Having found no place more suitable than this island... Sieur de Mons... allowed me to draw up the plan of our settlement."

Seventy-nine men, including noblemen, artisans, labourers, Catholic and Protestants clerics, surgeons and soldiers spent the winter of 1604-05 on Saint Croix Island. The French brought with them things they considered essential, such as weapons, grains, utensils, tools, trade goods, and a few prefabricated frame buildings.

"An oven was also built, and a hand-mill for grinding our wheat which gave much trouble and labour…it was a painful task."

(French quotations are from vol.1 of Champlain Society's 1971 ed., of Champlain's 1613 ed., Voyages du Sieur de Champlain. The 17th century French has been transcribed into modern usage.)